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FC Schalke 04 Esports

Through its exemplary commitment to the ever growing esports scene, FC Schalke 04 is leading the way amongst football teams across Europe. As one of the first clubs to recognise the huge potential of esports, S04 began integrating a new esports division into the existing framework of the club in May 2016. With its commitment that unites traditional sports and esports, FC Schalke 04 corroborates its role as an innovation leader of the football Bundesliga.

Esports

esports is the professional practice of playing video games in a competitive environment – whether that’s on a computer or on a gaming console, or if it’s a strategy game or football simulation. Just like traditional sports, esports regularly attract audiences in the millions. The League of Legends World Championship in 2017 was watched by around 80,000 people in the Beijing National Stadium. Over 60 million people also followed the event via livestream. Since 2017, the League of Legends viewership has tripled. It’s a clear indication of the constantly growing popularity that esports’ titles like “LoL” will continue to enjoy in the future.

FC Schalke 04 Esports

For his entry into the Esport in May 2016, FC Schalke 04 decided to focus on a title that enjoys great popularity worldwide: League of Legends. Thus, Royal Blue clearly underlined the seriousness and determination of their commitment. The competitive strategy game is played monthly by up to 100 million people. Hundreds of thousands of spectators watch the encounters of the Esport pros – live in the stream or in the Berlin studios of the game manufacturer Riot Games. The competition will take place in a professional league structure whose top European league is the League of Legends European Championship (LEC). This is where the ten best teams in Europe compete in a sporting competition. After the successful resurgence in September 2017, the miners also belong to this select circle.

Since July 2016, FC Schalke 04 has also been involved in the football simulation FIFA. Meanwhile, four players represent the miners in the royal blue dress. Among the notable successes of the S04 include winning the national ESL Championship, the German Championship of the virtual Bundesliga and the European Championship. Furthermore, the Royal Blues the runner-up of the FIFA Club World Cup.

In June 2018, the miners announced their participation in the eFootball.Pro competition, a new format for Pro Evolution Soccer. After FC Barcelona FC Schalke 04 is the second European top club to join the virtual league.

Our goals

FC Schalke 04 aims to continue strengthening their position as a pioneering football club in the esports scene and ultimately become Europe’s leading club with its own esports division. From an economic perspective, FC Schalke 04 want to support their core business that is football, with a sustainable and profitable involvement in esports.

Deeply rooted in the Ruhr area, we are already one of the most famous esport organisations in Europe.

Tim Reichert, Chief Gaming Officer at FC Schalke 04 Esports

The miners are very serious about expanding their horizons to a new, young demographic. And to underline that to all followers, the esports division will adhere to the same values that have been followed by the club for years. In its efforts, the club’s innovative venture is geared towards sustainability. FC Schalke 04 want to help to actively shape the development of this new kind of sport as it grows in the future.

And with one of the most modern multi-purpose arenas in Europe, as well as a professional infrastructure at its disposal, FC Schalke 04 can draw on all the necessary resources available to few other esports organisations in Germany.